Why Ultralight Outfitters’ Beer Can Stove Beats DIY

I’ve done a bit of research on do-it-yourself backpacking stoves lately and was reassured to see that nothing DIY comes close to offering backpackers the convenience and weight savings of our Beer Can Stove.

There are people who are going to make their own stove no matter what because it’s part of their ultralight backpacking schtick.

For the rest of us, weight, ease of use and convenience are more important.

1. The Beer Can Stove is a complete system.

When you get your Beer Can Stove in the mail, you’ll open it and find a wire stand with the fuel tray, a stainless wind screen, a lip guard and a lexan spoon. With the 24oz beer can that you supply yourself, you have your cooking system.

You follow the instructions for setting the stove up for cooking including putting the lip guard on your beer can. Add your water to boil and light your solid fuel tab and surround the stove with the wind screen.

When your water boils you take the can and fuel tray off the stand, push down to snuff the fuel, turn the stand upside down and push the beer can cook pot into the stand. Stopping halfway to surround the can with the wind screen, you end up with an insulated food or drinking pot. Pull out your spoon and you’re ready for dinner or an after dinner beverage.

2. The wire stand is a brilliantly designed system that would be hard to duplicate.

You might be able to follow the directions for making a soda can stove and end up with a pretty nice little stove. But you wouldn’t have the wire stand that allows you to turn the whole thing into an insulated bowl or cup.

The stand looks like a couple of random pieces of bent wire. It’s not. This is a brilliant piece of engineering that fits together perfectly for both cooking and eating.

Looking for a manufacturer was a challenge. Every bend had to be precise and every weld had to be perfect. We rejected thousands of stoves and changed manufacturers twice before finding the perfect partner. You are the beneficiary. This is a stove you can depend on.

3. Most DIY soda can stoves use alcohol. We use solid fuel.

When weight is a prime consideration, solid fuel is the answer. You can pack exactly the amount of fuel you need, no more, no less.

You don’t have heavy, imprecise fuel containers. And packers often carry extra gas cans because one never knows precisely how much fuel is left! There is always the concern about leaking alcohol containers.

With the Beer Can Stove, you carry a tab for every heated meal, half a tab for every beverage and a few extra for safety. Most come individually sealed meaning that a dunk in a river won’t affect your fuel.

So that’s why I don’t worry that DIY stoves will put us out of business. Give the Beer Can Stove a try. It is inexpensive and being able to turn your cook pot into a drinking or eating mug gives us the edge, over other solid fuel stoves too.